flawed
by fool me
Summary: At the age of thirty-two Olivia Spencer was classified an overachiever, passionate, intelligent, and a smartypants by her friends and peers. Unfortunately, Olivia did not think one of those adjectives described herself due to her current predicament. She was nothing but a fool.
1. the fool

_the fool_

At the age of thirty-two Olivia Spencer was classified an overachiever by her friends and peers. Her loving parents took great pride in her academic success through medicine at Cambridge and how quickly her career progressed to international recognition. Whether it was working on severe cases in Northern Africa or being a part of a think tank in Stockholm, Olivia excelled. As her old school friends moved from their adventurous twenties to houses with large gardens in posh London suburbs, with maybe a dog or child tossed in, Olivia found herself teased at fortnightly dinner parties about being a slave to the white coat. And every fortnight with a bright smile on her lips and swish of the red wine in hand she would declare her loyalty and undying love to Sir Coat to everyone's amusement in the room.

A workaholic, passionate, driven, intelligent, and a smartypants were terms used by the people at those fortnightly get togethers to describe Miss Spencer. Unfortunately, Olivia did not think one of those adjectives described herself due to her current predicament.

Sharp bursts of sunlight blurred her vision and the buzzing sound that she had awoken too was now causing a thunderous headache. Disoriented and confused Olivia tried desperately to work out the visual puzzle in front of her. Squinting against the streams of mid morning sun her brain finally processed the shapes of branches and leaves passing above her, a forrest was the word her mind finally conjured up. For some reason that escaped her presently, she appeared to be lying on the ground below a shifting forrest canopy.

She tried to recall why she was lying there but the thumping heartache forced her to squeeze her eyes shut as a wave of nausea descended upon her. As she waited for the unsettling feeling to pass she felt the odd sensation of her body moving on it's on accord. Her mind slowly processed this new information when the sudden thought dawned upon her. The trees above her weren't shifting, she was the one moving. Her eyes shot open in panic as she tried to grasp onto her surroundings in a desperate hope to figure out what was happening. The sight that assaulted her clearing vision was of her body being dragged harshly though the dirt and vegetation by a strong grip that was clasped onto the collar of her khaki military coat.

Swivelling her head drunkenly to the left and right she could not catch a glimpse of the unwavering force that was locked tightly onto her collar. The buzzing in her ears was fading, allowing drips and drabs of noise from the lush environment around her. Taking a deep breath Olivia prepared to shift her head again when the flesh around her left hip became ensnared by a jagged rock lying beneath her. A harsh tug from her collar torn her away from the rock and suddenly the feeling in her once docile limps erupted in pain. Everything ached and burned but nothing compared to the inferno that engulfed where she had been snagged on the rock. She couldn't stop the tears that threatened to fall or contain the scream that burst from her throat. The back of her coat was unceremoniously dropped and she hardly heard the series of colourful curses from behind as her head made impact with the solid ground. A wave of light headiness hit, causing Olivia to mentally self diagnose herself with a concussion amongst a growing list of other well-being concerns.

She choked and splattered as she pushed herself to look towards her left side to determine the damage. Her once white button down silk shirt was speckled with dirt, grim and blood. Blood was not something Olivia shied away from, especially since her profession had desensitised her to the sight. The large dark patch that encircled her left hip didn't cause her to bat an eyelid but the air left her lungs when she spotted what looked to be half of a metal clasp from a seatbelt protruding from her left side. Her fingers involuntarily twitched on the ground beside her as she controlled the sudden need to pull it out. She inwardly scolded herself for jumping to such a rash decision that would lead to further blood loss or a nasty infection.

Closing her eyes Olivia found herself mentally chanting her university roommates favourite pre-exam phrase, _'I am so zen right now'_, to calm herself. If only Rebecca Wilson could see how her charming phrase was being used now, she thought to herself. After several minutes of deep breathing Olivia turned her thoughts to the task at hand. As she began her checklist to prepare for action she was interrupted by the sound of hushed, heated voices. Pieces of dirty blonde hair whipped across her face as she turned towards the noise.

Several metres away between the trees stood two men in camouflage gear conversing with each other. Relief washed over her at the thought of assistance only a stone's throw away but she clasped her mouth shut instantly when she spied the pistols strapped to their belts and the dark stains that decorated the front of their jackets. Fear and uncertainly gripped her when she came to the conclusion one of them must have be dragging her previously before her little outburst. _But why?_ was the next question to pop into her conscious. The younger looking of the two men suddenly shoved his partner away with a loud colourful outburst. Olivia stilled her heavy breathing to catch wind of their conversation.

The young dark haired man planted his heavy hiking boots on the ground and declared, "I ain't doing it anymore, man. I ain't dragging her anymore, so why don't you just do it since you want her so much. I don't want to be around when a bunch of 'em creepers turn up due to all the fuss she's making."

The other male jerked his head to the side and spat before turning himself to face his not so willing co-worker. "Listen here boy" he croaked in a voice that sounded like sandpaper, "You best do what Uncle Jerry says, since it's been Uncle Jerry that has kept you alive this whole time. Feed you, protected you and given you a sweet haven to rest your head at night. So stop your belly-aching and finish what we started."

Uncle Jerry's response only seemed to antagonise the young man. "Finish what we started old man?! I'm the one doing all the work. I'm the one that managed to get those folks to stop. I'm the one who got us all these sweet new weapons and now I'm the one dragging your pretty little pet through the god-damn woods. She's bleeding out, so forget about what ever action you hoped of ever getting as there's just no way it's happening. Just give up already!"

Jerry didn't seem to take too kindly to the spiteful words spoken by his kin as he lunged towards him causing a scuffle to brake out on the forrest floor. Meanwhile, Olivia's head was wheeling from the conversation she had witnessed. Fragments of places, events and people flickered before her eyes from the young man's words hinting at the circumstances of that morning. The fleeting knowledge of travelling towards Atlanta in a two car convoy seeking sanctuary, being handed a bottle of water by a friendly military personal named Marcus, the young defenceless man on the side of the road, the impressive view of a nameless river from a bridge and the bright red tail lights of the land cruiser in front of their car lighting up causing Marcus to swerve off the road towards the tree line.

She was a fool.

Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes at the thought of her actions causing the possible deaths of her colleagues and the good people risking their lives on a whim. They were one of the fifty or so groups assembled to determine the strain of the outbreak in the early days of the quarantine. Their lab work proved fruitless and the information released by the CDC was just as baffling. They had risked everything travelling that nightmarish road south only to be thwarted by her idiotic moral conscious. She had pleaded with the group to allow the young man to join them as she felt it inhumane to just leave him to the cruelty of the open road alone. She should have listened to Marcus' doubts but she was too stubborn and determined to save everyone that she was blinded to the affect this new world had on the living. America was always the land of opportunity and she was the fool that had allowed the opportunity for that young man to take advantage.

The sound of a fist hitting flesh broke Olivia from her self loathing, bringing her attention back to the two men. Regretfully, it appeared that Jerry was the winner of the dispute between the kinsman as his bulky frame dominated the hunched figure of his nephew. A gurgled groan and a steady stream of blood confirmed for Olivia that Jerry's fist had made contact with the dark haired man's nose resulting in a fracture.

Jerry's body was heaving with every breath as he straightened himself and placed a strong hand on his nephew's shoulder. "I'm still in charge here, skip. So don't you be thinking I'll take any of your sass mouthing. Since your being such a pansy about carrying a little extra weight why don't you go back and collect that ammunition bag you had me drop when you came running through the bush with your panties in such a twist over a little noise. That should be a simple enough job for you, huh?"

The defeated young man managed to give a single nod to his Uncle's new orders. With his left hand still gripping his nose in an attempt to stop the rapid flow of blood, he awkwardly moved past his Uncle in the direction where Olivia would only presume the ammunition bag had been dropped. Her eyes however, had not left the rigid form of Jerry who seemed bent on lording over his victory by watching the retreating back of his nephew. Alarm bells wailed in her head at the danger that she now faced in her condition against such a man. It was simply impossible to flee with her injury without causing further damage and she wasn't sure if her legs were able to function, yet alone carry her away from this place. It seemed flight was out of the equation, so she would have to fight. She would have to be quick and efficient as she only had one chance to grab him by surprise.

Her right hand leapt towards her belt searching for the wickedly sharp kitchen knife that was constantly stationed there these past few months. To her disappointment the knife's holster was barren, the two men had properly removed it before taking her on a stroll through the woods. Muttering a silent curse Olivia fanned her hands out trying to find anything that she could use to her advantage. The fingers of her right hand skimmed the form of a stick which drew her scrutinising eye to evaluate if it was thick enough for her intended use. The sturdy stick gained her approval and as her fingers wrapped around it she heard the sounds that alerted her Jerry was on the move.

Her eyes snapped shut and she tried desperately to calm her pounding heart. As the sound of heavy footsteps drew closer Olivia mentally prepared herself for the physical struggle that lay ahead. She could do this, _no she had to do this_ she told herself. The morning sun seeping through her closed eyelids vanished as a shadow fell upon her. Inwardly fighting the terror that gripped her to flinch away, a rough calloused hand brushed a few locks of hair from her face before moving south to trace her cracked lips. Puffs of warm air that smelt of cigarettes and ash washed against her face, making bile rise to her throat as it dawned on her that he was planning on kissing her. The fingers of her right hand coiled tightly around her only lifeline as she waited for the opportune moment. The calloused digits caressing her mouth inched towards her jawline where they anchored themselves to pivot her head towards the source of warm air. Through closed eyes Olivia watched as the shadow grew closer until it absolved the remaining light.

Flinging her eyes open she brought the broken end of the stick towards Jerry's exposed jugular with a quickness and power she never knew she possessed. A familiar metallic smell assaulted her nose as warm stinky blood cascaded from the stick impaled in his throat, coating the side of her face and hair in crimson. She watched the shocked expression on Jerry's face turn to pain then anger before he collapsed onto his side grappling with the new external appendage Olivia had bestowed him with. A choked sob of relief escaped her when she released that the stick had actually worked. Carefully avoiding putting pressure on her left side Olivia managed to hoist herself up into sitting position and slowly rotated to her right to confront her captor. Jerry lay on his side struggling to stop the blood flowing from his neck and was hopelessly attempting to remove the stick that was imbedded in his vulnerable flesh.

Laboured breaths filled the woods as the blood flooded Jerry's air way, a loud gurgled groan brought Olivia forth from her stupor causing a flush of urgency and adrenaline to pump through her veins. She needed to move before the young man or something far worse stumbled upon her. She dodged Jerry's swatting hand as she quickly removed the hand gun and hunters knife that dangled from his belt. Threading the newly acquired knife through her own belt and tucking the gun into her coat pocket she attempted to stand using a nearby tree. With a great amount of effort she managed to stand on her own two feet with a slight sway.

Feeling confident that her legs were capable of supporting her weight she pushed aside her coat to analyse the metal still imbedded above her hip. Without the proper sterilising equipment and time she couldn't risk removing it knowing that it could render her helpless. Shaking fingers fumbled with the bottom buttons of her blouse to release them from there anchors. She unbuttoned her blouse to her hip bone and with a deep breath pulled the two free pieces of fabric together to act as a tourniquet. She whimpered as the tightening knot pulled on her tender side and with one last stratified tug she moved onto zipping her coat together to cover her exposed skin.

Her gaze turned to the seemingly endless woods that surrounded her. Chewing on her bottom lip she tried to calculate the best course to take; head in the direction the young man disappeared, hoping it would lead her back to the road or try her luck in the forrest. She had limited skills as a navigator and knew that she would only get yourself lost in these woods. There was also the slight hope that her travelling companions may be back on the road searching for her. Her right hand sought the gun in her pocket for courage as she made the decision to follow the same path as the young man.

Olivia did not glance back at the suffering of Jerry as she lurched forward in a clumsy stumble through the trees.


	2. the discovery

_the discovery_

Resting her shoulder against the trunk of a oak tree Olivia paused to catch her breath. Looking up though the branches she tried to spot the sun's location to calculate the time. She judged that she must have been walking for the past thirty minutes and yet there was still no sign of Jerry's nephew or the road. She was becoming worried that she was heading entirely in the wrong direction. The sudden snapping of twigs stopped all thoughts of being lost from her mind, replaced with a growing fear that Jerry had somehow managed to purse her. Training her eye on the bushes not far from her, she waited with baited breath for her possible demise to emerge from the scrub.

A brown rabbit sprouted from the under growth and quickly weaved towards the right in search of better vegetation. Olivia released the bruising grip on the gun in her pocket and let out a relieved sigh. _Was everything in these woods out to give her a heart attack?_ she pondered. She pushed off the tree trunk ready to continue her slow march when she looked beyond where the rabbit had disappeared.

Bright light peeked though the clustered trees and Olivia's heart soared that the road lay ahead. Surging forth with new vigour, Olivia made her way towards the opening in the forrest.

...

When her boots made the transition from the forrest floor to the paved asphalt she could not contain the happiness that bubbled in her stomach or the laugh that passed her lips. She could not believe her luck at finding her way back in relatively one piece. She squinted in an attempt to see further down the road when she managed to make out the shape of a car in the distance. Sticking to the roadside Olivia made her way towards the vehicle in hope of finding it inhabited. As she closed the distance she was able to recognise the large car as one of the charcoal coloured land cruisers that she had been travelling in earlier that morning. She must have drifted off course in the woods causing her to emerge ahead of the stationary convoy.

Her paced slowed when the humming sound of the car engine reached her ears and the sight of how carelessly two of the passenger doors were left flung wide open. Concerned with what she may stumble across, Olivia moved towards the tree line seeking cover to hide her presence. She cautiously inched forward through the trees to align herself with the car on the road. The sight that greeted her only brought anguish and a profound sense of loss.

From her position she was able to see through the drivers side window to make out the slumped body of her mentor and lab group supervisor, Dr John Henderson, over the steering wheel. The essence that made him such a brilliant man was scattered over the interior windshield. Olivia pressed her hand over her mouth to muffle the sobs that racked her body at the gruesome discovery. She dragged her eyes away from Henderson hoping to find better news about the other occupants of the car. Abigail and Kevin, both neurology specialists, were still strapped in the back seat with bullet holes drilled into their foreheads and the final occupant Ryan, the commander of their security escort, was lying facedown not far from one of the opened passenger doors.

A thousand apologises ran through her head for allowing this fate upon the people she had come to cherish and respect so dearly. She could't comprehend how those men could have committed this calculated atrocity with no remorse. She shifted herself away from the car to remove the gruesome scene from her sight but it didn't stop the heave which brought forth the contents of her stomach to the forrest floor. Using the sleeve of her coat to wipe the side of her mouth she looked towards the other side of the road to find out what had become of the car she had been travelling in. Wrapped around a tall tree the second land cruiser was an unrecognisable pile of twisted metal and glass. Steeling herself for another grim discovery Olivia stepped away from the tree line to see what had befallen Marcus and the others.

She had only taken a few steps when a rasping wheeze halted her in her tracks. Slowly turning back to the land cruiser that incased Henderson she spotted a limping figure approaching through the blood splattered windows. Her stomach dropped when she realised an infected was slowly making it's way towards the car behind her. Taking one last look at the wreak that entombed Marcus across the road she sunk back into the protection of the trees. Keeping her eyes trained on the wheezing corpse she silently moved away from the damaged convoy. Making a quick getaway among the trees Olivia was quite a distance away when the sound of tearing flesh and chomping teeth drifted towards her. By the time the rotting corpse was hunched over feasting on Ryan five more infected had materialised along the roadside she had just trodden to join their fellow companion.

Trying to put as much distance between herself and the growing number of infected she pushed herself to move quickly down the road she had previously travelled that morning. The slurping noises of the open buffet now behind her were drowned out by the sound of rushing water. The concrete bridge with the impressive view she had admired earlier that day was now ahead of her when a shout broke through the air. Looking behind her to find the source of the sudden outburst she glimpsed a figure emerge from the woods and step onto the asphalt only a few metres from her. The colour drained from her face when she recognised the camouflaged covered frame and dark hair.

Jerry's nephew was furiously marching towards her with a large bag strapped to his back and gun in hand. He must have discovered what had become of his uncle and due to his absence it appeared Jerry hadn't made it. Flicking her gaze to the stationary convoy behind him she groaned as his outburst had gained a dangerous audience. Her attention was once again directed towards the young man when a shot whistled past her head hitting a tree nearby. Abandoning her plan of being desecrate she gripped her injured side and pushed her legs into a jog towards the bridge. Several loud cracks rung out behind her followed instantly by a series of names shouted that she had no intention of stopping to decipher.

Her legs were burning as she stepped onto the bridge and as she made her way across she discovered that several infected, drawn to the gun fire, were slowly approaching from the other side. Stopping to lean heavily on the guard rail Olivia struggled to regain her breath as her brain spiralled into overdrive to figure out what to do. Looking over her shoulder she spotted her purser about to reach the bridge with a pack of infected trailing behind him, practically foaming at the mouth at the thought of warm moving flesh. He paid them no heed as he continued to move forward, too focused on reloading his gun.

With great effort Olivia managed to hoist herself over the metal rail while his attention was diverted in searching for another clip in his pocket. The roaring water below intensified as if it was absorbing the tension in the air above. Olivia stared at the raging river below while mentally debating her options. She was unsure if she could survive the jump with her injury, otherwise she could take her chances on the bridge where a bullet waited to enter temple or the possibility of becoming a meal for the dead remained. A strong wind coaxed her from behind causing her blood soaked hair to whip in front of her eyes. She made her choice. Hearing the familiar click of a loaded gun Olivia uncoiled her fingers from their guard rail perch and pushing forward, she took the plunge.

The air raced past her silencing the erratic beating of her heart as she snapped her eyes shut in preparation for impact with the fast approaching water. Her body was swallowed up by the murky river and harshly dragged down by the strong current. The frigid water jabbed at her wounded side causing a gurgled scream to leave her lungs in bubbly air pockets. Fighting the current and the shock of the cold water she pushed for the surface in need of oxygen. Coughing and splattering she struggled to keep her head above the raging current. Tiredly trending water she allowed the rapid flow to drag her down the river.

Over the aggressive rapids she spied the bridge almost fifty metres behind her and the shadowy shapes that remained on it. If she squinted she would have been able to make out the figure of the young man struggling to remove the unrelenting cold hands that gripped his jacket and flesh. Drifting in and out of conscious she sailed down the river allowing the current to take her where ever it desired.

...

The late afternoon sun gave no warmth as another shiver rippled from her head to her toes. The river had pushed Olivia through dense woods and acres of farmland for hours now and it only just started to lose its fast pace. Exhausted and wrinkly Olivia started trending towards the shore where a pretty wilderness awaited her. Her covered feet made contact with the river bed as she waded through the murky water. Her saturated coat weighed her down and the wet hair plastered to her neck caused her teeth to chatter violently. She reached the pebbled embankment on her hands and knees with the water lapping quietly at her heels. Sitting back on her knees she closed her eyes and angled her face to the sky seeking the sun. The sound of the wood and stream provided a peaceful ambiance around her. Content with enjoying a quiet moment Olivia allowed herself to rest.

Her solitude was interrupted when the familiar sound of the safety being removed on a gun reached her ears.


	3. the sheriff

_the sheriff_

The swift click of a safety switch caused Olivia's heart to skip a beat. It seemed she was never going to get any rest today.

Shifting her head towards the tree line she spotted the small lonely figure of a boy. A wide brimmed hat shadowed his freckled face and stern looking expression. He had what appeared to be a gun directed at her, except a tube pipe was attached at the end with duct tape. Thinking the sight before her was a hallucination from blood loss Olivia brought her right hand to rub her tired eyes. Peering through her finger tips the image of the boy still stood before her. Olivia licked her cracked lips and as she was about to ask if he was real, the boy spoke.

"Have you been bit?" he demanded.

Olivia blinked several times before the question finally registered.

"No" she croaked in a raspy voice that hardly sounded like her own.

He seemed sceptical of her answer as his eyes scrutinised her figure before zeroing in on the side of her head. Olivia realised that the river had not completely washed away Jerry's blood from her face and hair. She pulled her coat collar aside to show him that no wound lay hidden underneath.

"It's not mine, see."

He frowned at her response, obviously not trusting her word. "Are you alone? Are there others?" he pressed.

Her eyes drifted to the clear water container that rested next to his boots. She must have disturbed him from refilling the large bottle when she washed ashore. She could only imagine what a sorry state she looked liked to him, completely drenched and covered in specks of dirt and blood. Quite a startling sight she would have made indeed.

"I'm alone. It's just me."

The tension in his shoulders wavered slightly from her answer. He seemed satisfied for the moment but he did not let his guard down, or the gun. The two of them didn't speak for several minutes as they gauged whether or not the other meant them any harm. Turning on the bed side manner Olivia decided to try and ease the tension in the air.

"I'm Olivia by the way. What's your name?"

The boy scuffed at her attempt at being friendly. "Like I'm going to tell a complete stranger my name. Sorry Olivia, but I'm not dumb."

A smile twitched on her lips at his bravo behaviour. The sheriff's badge perched on top of the hat on his head gleamed at her in the afternoon sun.

"You're absolutely right, Officer. How silly of me to ask."

Pink speckled his checks in either anger or embarrassment from her retort. He holstered his gun and bent over to collect the plastic bottle at his feet. Olivia mentally patted herself on the back for getting him to take the gun off her. She watched as he cautiously approached the water making sure to put enough distance between her and himself before bending over to start filling it. They both sat in silence as the water poured into the container. The boy met her gaze finally and his face contorted into another frown.

"Why are you just sitting there? And why do you keep looking at me for?" he huffed.

The smile on Olivia's lips turned down slightly before she looked the boy squarely in the eye. "To tell you the truth, Officer, I don't think I can actually get onto my feet at the moment. You see I was badly hurt this morning.."

Before she could finish the boy was upon his feet again, drawing the gun from his side. "I thought you said you weren't bitten?!" he yelled.

Olivia raised her hands in surrender, trying to calm the agitated boy. "I promise you I haven't been bitten. Please let me finish before you literally jump the gun on me."

"Show me!" the boy ordered from behind the barrel of the gun.

"What?" replied Olivia.

"Show me where you're hurt!" he growled as he became frustrated with how slow she was to respond.

Dropping her hands, Olivia quickly unzipped the front of her coat and peeled the left side away to reveal the metal seat belt clasp still wedged in her side. The boy visibly blanched at the sight before turning away quickly towards the river. Olivia allowed him time to digest what he had just seen as she re-zipped the front of her jacket to protect the wound.

Speaking calmly Olivia tried to engage him in conversation. "Sorry about startling you with that but it was the only way of getting you to listen. Look, I need your help to find a few things so I can fix myself. Are you able to help me, Officer?"

The boy was intently watching the water spiral into the plastic container, obviously trying to avoid further eye contact. He seemed to be mulling over Olivia's request for his help. She knew it was a lot to ask a child, especially during these dangerous times, but she simply could not do this one her own. She waited patiently as he inwardly struggled with the moral dilemma before him. Eyes still trained on the river he quietly spoke to her.

"How.. how did that happen?"

A sigh moved past Olivia's lips as she shifted to stretch her legs out, trying to dry out her jeans on the river bed. She knew an explanation would be required of her but she was hoping to delay it as memories of her morning still terrorised her. She didn't want to awaken the feelings of remorse and loathing quite yet.

"It's not really important how it happened. What matters is that I know how to treat it" she replied.

She crossed her fingers hoping that he wouldn't press the issue further. Olivia watched as he stood to remove the filled bottle from the water and tightly capped the blue plastic lid with several twists. He finally turned to address her with his hands resting on his hips, a pose she noted that appeared casual but was strategic in it's placement in accordance to the holstered gun.

"If I help you will you swear to keep moving on and not follow me?"

Even though the prospect of being alone scared her she knew she owned it to the boy to respect his request if he aided her. She knew all too well the consequences of blindly trusting strangers. She replied with a curt nod of her head. Satisfied with their agreement the boy told her to wait there as he turned toward the woods and disappeared into the dense scrub. Olivia pushed down the panic that flared inside her at the thought of being deserted. Surely he would not have simply left her as he would have taken the refilled water bottle with him. Several tense minutes ticked by before the bushes parted and the boy remerged with a worn backpack flung over one shoulder. He stopped a little ways from her before dropping to a crouch to ruffle through the contents of the bag. A thermos, cigarette lighter, woollen blanket, ammunition clips, and a handful of comic books were dumped onto the pebbly river bed. Before she could read the titles on the books the boy let out a _whoop_ as he pulled a sealed plastic bag with bandages and other first aid supplies from the depths. He tossed the packet to her before turning to replace his processions back in the bag.

"Those came from a pharmacy a few towns over but it should help" he said, as he struggled to get the worn blanket to fit.

Olivia gratefully accepted the bag and popped open the seal to take stock of the items she had to work with. Bandages, antiseptic patches, vitamins, scissors and a variety of mediation to treat colds and pain greeted her. Feeling happier with the her chances Olivia knew she could use those items provided but she still needed a few more important things. Placing all the contents neatly back into the plastic pocket, as well as the cigarette lighter from the boy's bag, Olivia gently smiled at the young sheriff.

"Thank you. This will definitely make my life a lot easier but I have one last favour. I'm still in need of a few of things like pliers, thread, soap and a needle. Do you know were I could get those from?"

The boy stopped in his task of zipping his pack up to ponder the whereabouts of her list of goods. "There's a house not too far from here. Looked abandoned, but it may have the things you need." He hoisted the pack onto his shoulder and moved to reach for the water container.

Olivia's fingers clenched the medicine bag knowing the inevitable goodbye was fast approaching. She pushed her mind to think about the new grim challenge of finding the house the boy spoke of. Her musings were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing. The young sheriff stood impatiently with the water container in hand.

"Ahem. Are you going to sit around all day or are we going to look through that house?" he asked.

Not having to be told twice, Olivia scrambled to her feet with great difficulty. She brought her left hand under her injury to provide support, as her other fiercely clutched the medicine bag. The two odd travelling companions set off together into the forrest at a slow pace towards the house.

...

The single story white panelled house with it's overgrown garden and worn paint oozed neglect. It gave a tired impression that was probably caused by the previous owners treatment before the outbreak. They both stood before the front porch with eyes flickering from window to window searching for any sign of movement. The boy placed the water container at his feet and moved to count the number of shells remaining in the clip. His preparation put Olivia on edge about the pandora's box they were about to open when they stepped onto that wooden decking. Feeling the need to prepare herself she passed the plastic bag onto the hand supporting her side and moved her free hand between the gap in her coat to reach for the hunting knife that was tucked into her belt. Grasping the handle tightly she carefully maneuvered the blade to the surface. Her eyes locked with the young boys as the knife made its appearance from beneath her coat. He seemed startled by the realisation that she was armed but he pushed it aside quickly to give her a stiff nod signalling his approval at her choice of weapon. They couldn't afford drawing too much attention to themselves in such a condensed space.

After one last sweep of the windows the boy lent towards her. "I'll go in first and you make sure you cover our backs" he whispered.

Before she could protest about allowing him to enter the house, the young man was before the fly screen door with his hand clasped around the metal handle. The screen creaked loudly causing both of them to wince. The pair stood still waiting for something to spring out at them from the dim hallway beyond but the house did not stir. Turning towards her, the boy waved at her to join him. Hobbling up the stairs and across the porch Olivia placed herself in the doorway transferring the weight of the door from the boys hands as he advanced into the hallway. The handmade silencer was unwavering as he swept through the hallway checking each room before moving on. Carefully, Olivia allowed the door to close behind her before silently following him.

The hallway was barren of artwork, knick-knacks or family portraits except for the faded burgundy rug beneath their feet. The first doorway she passed contained a small untidy office and a little further up on the opposite side was a lounge room that could have been considered cosy once without the thin layer of dust that now coated everything. Her observations were interrupted by a sudden thump that came from the back of the house. Fearing that the boy had run into trouble Olivia quickly pushed herself passed an empty kitchen and bathroom towards the source of the noise. Gripping the knife to allow herself the movability to aim high she approached the last room in the house. Her lips parted to call for the boy when he suddenly emerged from the room. He jumped when he saw the knife directed towards his head but he quickly masked his surprise with a scolding look.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that. I could have shot you."

Olivia kept her eyes on the doorway behind him as he moved to get past her. "What was that noise I heard? Did something happen?" she asked.

The boy holstered his gun and shrugged. "Just a walker in the bedroom but I took care of it" he replied.

As he made his way back towards the kitchen Olivia placed herself in the entry way to a master bedroom. The decaying body of an elderly man was sprawled out on the quilted bedspread which was slowly becoming discoloured from the weeping bullet hole to his temple. The shot was skilfully placed and the way the boy carelessly shrugged off having to dispatch an infected cast him a completely different light for Olivia. He was strong and capable for someone so young and she was slightly sadden that he would have to grow up in such a violent world. The sound of opening and closing cupboards from the kitchen reached her ears as she moved forward to close the bedroom door to conceal the unpleasant sight. As she wondered into the kitchen tucking the knife back through her belt she spotted the hatted youth rummaging through the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink searching for supplies. She placed the medicine bag on a dusty kitchen bench not far from his hunched form.

He directed a triumphant smile at her as we waved a pair of pliers in his right hand. "Looks like I hit the jackpot, your majesty" he snickered.

"Let's see how lucky you really are, Officer. Want to help me check the front rooms for a needle and thread, please?" she asked ignoring the jab at her accent.

Placing his backpack on the tiled floor, the boy zipped past her towards the dusty living room leaving Olivia to search the study near the front of the house. Paper littered the old wooden desktop and beige carpeted floor. Photos of a couple stared brightly up at her as she recognised the face of a man that was now lying down not too far from this room. She pulled apart the draws on the desk in her search but they proved fruitless. Turning towards the small cabinet in the room she opened the doors to discover several half empty bottles of alcohol. She removed a bottle of vodka from the shelf and made her way towards the lounge room to help with the search. She spotted the young boy wedged in between a worn leather sofa chair and a cabinet. The lid was thrown open revealing a sewing machine. She watched as he plucked a large needle and nylon threat from the masses of fabric cutoffs and buttons.

Wiggling his latest plunder the boy directed an impish smile at her. "That's two from two now" he taunted. His eyes drifted to the bottle that hung from her right hand and he gawked at the sight.

"You can't be serious lady. You're planning to get drunk at a time like this? That's so stupid" he chastised.

A smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she turned from the room and it grew as the sound of eager footsteps shadowed her into the kitchen. Getting him to place the medicine bag, needle and thread alongside the pliers on the kitchen bench top Olivia started preparing for the task ahead of her. Her muscles burned as she shrugged out of her damp coat and rested it over the back off a kitchen chair. She requested her helpful assistant to check the bathroom for soap and a clean towel as she started undoing her knotted blouse. With a wince she shifted the fabric through the ever present seatbelt clasp and unbuttoned it a little further to tie the ends together again just under her bust. Thus keeping her shirt away from the injured area, whilst still preserving her modesty. Popping open the plastic pharmacy bag she removed the cigarette lighter and picked up the needle from the bench. When the boy reappeared with a cake of yellow soap and green towel in hand he found Olivia standing in front of the kitchen sink passing the needle through the flame of the lighter. He dumped the requested items next to her before he hopped on top of a nearby counter to watch.

"What are you doing that for?" he asked.

Olivia's skilled eyes and hands did not waver as she continued rotating the needle as she replied to him. "I'm sterilising the needle to prevent infection. Heating the metal will remove the bacteria that could eventually cause death if they manage to spread into the wound."

She balanced the needle on the side of the sink before she handed the lighter back to the boy. Grabbing the pliers she held them over the sink as she poured the vodka generously over them and placed them next to the needle. Shuffling through the kitchen Olivia found a teapot which was quickly filled with water and placed on the gas stove with help from the boy's trusty lighter to ignite it. They waited in comfortable silence as they listened to the kettle come to a boil. As the kettle whistled to life Olivia instructed the boy to carefully remove the pot from the stove and pour it over the green towel from the bathroom. She assigned him the task of rubbing the yellow bar of soap into the warm wet towel, as she saturated the nylon thread in vodka before threading it through the eye of the sterilised needle. Bracing her hands against the kitchen bench Olivia scrutinised the surgical equipment gathered before her. _Beggars can't be chooses,_ she inwardly muttered to herself.

Taking the bar of soap from the boy she proceed to wash her hands with the lukewarm water from the kettle. Flickering her hands to dry Olivia was struck with a sudden thought. She opened one of the top kitchen draws to grab a wooden spoon from amongst the kitchen equipment. Turning towards her helpful assistant she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Now Officer turned helpful nurse, here comes the tricky part. Will you pass the items to me when I ask?"

The boy shifted from foot to foot as his eyes flickered from her face to the wound. "You've done this before, right?" he asked nervously.

"Of course, just never before with this improvised equipment or on myself" she replied cooly. He seemed sceptical of her answer but he masked it quickly, steeling himself for his new role.

Olivia held the wooden spoon in one hand as she reached for the dwindling bottle of clear liquid and brought it to her mouth, taking a large swig. The harsh taste burned down her throat causing her to blanch and cough. Placing the wooden spoon between her teeth she poured the remaining liquor over her left side. Tears pricked at her eyes and her jaws clenched down on the wood as the clear liquid seeped into her tender flesh. Olivia did not allow herself time to rest as she quickly pawned off the empty bottle to the boy before grabbing the pliers leaning on the sink. She clasped the pliers onto the metal seatbelt wedged in her skin and tugged. She sobbed and cursed against the spoon in her mouth as she slowly extracted the metal from her side. With one last pull the metal slipped from her flesh and was instantly accompanied by a steady flow of crimson. Tossing the pliers and metal shrapnel in the sink Olivia gestured for the boy to hand her the damp soaped towel. Shaking fingers accepted his offer and she pressed the cloth against the hole in her side to steam the bleeding. Using the corners of the towel she mopped the blood and dirt away from the wound to clean it. Harsh breaths filtered through the quiet room as Olivia lent against the countertop waiting for the blood to eventually clot. She spied the boy leaning over the sink to inspect the piece of metal that was once imbedded in her side but she didn't have the energy to face him to gauge his expression.

The stream of blood that coated the front of her jeans and side came to a slow stop. Olivia deemed her handiwork satisfactory as she peeled the blood soaked cloth from her hip to carefully wipe the wound one last time. Tossing the towel to join the pliers Olivia picked up the threaded needle to begin stitching herself up. It was an painfully odd sensation as the needle passed through her pinched together flesh. She was used to performing the task on other people, not herself. With a slight tug Olivia knotted the end of the thread and held it way from herself allowing the boy to cut it with the scissors from the medicine bag. The wooden spoon clattered to the ground as she released it from the torture of her teeth. Hands covered in blood pointed towards the bag to convey to her assistant that she required the other items. Snatching up the bag the boy held up a large antiseptic patch and with a nod from her, started to remove the plastic packaging. The boy carefully avoided the sticky side as he passed her the patch, which she pressed firmly against her stitched side. Together they wordlessly worked a roll of bandage cloth around her middle to provide extra covering before securing the end in the mass of fabric.

With her back leaning against the countertop Olivia stared up at the eggshell coloured ceiling. She was bruised, in pain and exhausted but a feeling of achievement surged through her. She had managed to successfully operate on herself. Her train of thought was interrupted as a glass of water with two fizzling panadol was directed under her nose. Her head lolled to the side to see the familiar sheriff hat, freckled face and hand that were attached to the glass.

"The water's clean. I had a smaller water bottle in my rug-sack" he told her.

She gratefully accepted the glass and quickly swallowed to enable the pain killers to kick in. As she rested she watched as the boy rummaged through the remaining cabinets in the kitchen. He was successful in finding several canned tins of fruit and fish which he placed into his overly packed bag. Popping off the removable lid of a pineapple tin he settled down in one of the kitchen chair with a salvaged fork to enjoy a well earned snack. He stopped his munching when he realised Olivia was observing him across the room. He gestured the can towards her in offering but she shook her head wanting him to treat himself. With a shrug of his shoulders his fork dived into the can to retrieve his reward.

Using the remainder of the water in the kettle Olivia proceeded to wash the blood that caked her fingers and nails with the yellow bar of soap. With wet hands she unknotted her blouse allowing it to hang down before she started to thread the white buttons through their respective holes. When she was done she looked up and out the window that faced an overgrown garden that was burdened with thistles and weeds.

"Thank you. You saved my life."

Turning to see the young sheriff place the empty tin with fork on the table she saw the slight pink tint on his cheeks.

"Twas' nothing" he muttered to the floor.

Not feeling the need to tease his bashfulness Olivia gave him a soft smile as she started to repack the plastic pharmacy bag. The boy jumped from his kitchen perch to assist her in replacing it back into his bag. As the boy picked up the pack to swing over his shoulders Olivia resecured the hunting knife tucked in her belt and retrieved her khaki coat from the chair the boy was previously sitting on. Threading her arms through and allowing the coat to remain open to dry Olivia looked towards her former assistant. He was roughly chewing on his bottom lip as he struggled with his words. Olivia took pity on him and decided to make it easier for them both.

"Don't worry I'll keep my word. We had a agreement remember."

The boy gave her a stiff nod and turned to make his way towards the front door to collect the large water container he had left on the porch. Olivia followed behind allowing him space as they approached the screen door when he suddenly stopped, turned towards her and stuck out his hand.

"I'm Carl."

Not wanting to offend him Olivia moved forward to accept his outstretched hand. "It was lovely to meet you Officer Carl. Please stay safe out there" she replied.

Letting go of her hand quickly he turned to grasp the metal handle on the door. A frown pinched Olivia's forehead when he hesitated pushing the handle. She was about to ask him what was wrong when he spoke with his back still facing her.

"You know a lot about healing and stuff, right? Do…Do you think you could help my mom? She's been really ill lately."

Olivia's mind reeled at his heartfelt request but worry prickled within her at the thought of his mother's illness being the same possible strain that herself and her colleagues could simply not find a cure for. It wasn't fair for him to face that alone. Thinking herself a complete and utter fool she found herself again making the decision to help someone. She only hoped it did not yield the same results as earlier that morning.

"I can try" she whispered.


	4. the dilemma

_the dilemma_

"I can try."

The fading autumn light cast a soft glow illuminating the young boy paused in front of the screen door. Olivia's words hung heavily in the air with only the chorus of inserts outside for company. She watched as Carl's hand dropped from the metal handle as he shifted his head to gaze at her over his shoulder.

"You'd do that?" he hesitantly questioned.

Olivia stuffed her hands into her coat pockets as she weighed the commitment she was about to make. Her rational survivalist side brought up an endless list of scenarios and dangers she may face if she followed the boy. Olivia banished the images and memories that crept into her conscious from the events earlier that morning as she desperately wanted to avoid the hysteria that would flare within her. She never wanted to wake to that situation again. Inhale, exhale, just keep inhaling she mentally told herself. Carl had done her a great service and she was indebted to him. With a slight smile and a nod, Olivia gave Carl the reinsurance he needed. Relief briefly flickered across his face before it was replaced by neutrality. Carl hitched his backpack higher on his shoulder, preparing himself for the journey that lay before them.

"It's getting dark so we'd better hurry. We don't want to get caught out here, especially since you're still injured" he spoke with cool professionalism. As if he was well versed with the world that existed beyond the meshing that stood as a barrier.

Carl slowly pushed the screen door open and stepped through the threshold onto the wooden porch. One of his hands remained on the worn door, holding it open for Olivia as he's eyes scanned the woodland around them. Pleasantly surprised at his chivalrous behaviour Olivia slipped through and joined him on the deck. Carl gently closed the door behind them, well aware of his previous experience opening it earlier that afternoon. Olivia eyed the plastic water container that had remained at it's silent post at the foot of the rotting stairs. Straining her tender side and waving off Carl's protests Olivia manoeuvred the container into the solid embrace of her arms. She sent a defying smirk Carl's way for proving that she was more than capable. With frustration evident on his face, Carl stomped past her muttering about 'royalty' and 'high horse' as he marched across the front yard. Content with enjoying her little victory Olivia leisurely strolled behind her companion, weaving through the overgrown lawn to the edge of the woods.

She rendezvoused with the impatient young sheriff under the filtering light prying through the autumn coloured leaves. Casting one last look over the curves and corners of the tired, yet helpful, house behind them Olivia turned towards her guide.

"My dashing Officer, I hope you're as good of a shot in the open as you were inside the house."

Carl bristled at the nickname she had bestowed on him but chose to ignore it, denying her the satisfaction of showing that it annoyed him. "Just try and keep up. I don't want every walker in the area trailing us." With his hand resting on his holster Carl moved deeper into the woods with Olivia not far behind.

….

Olivia knew Carl's plan, or anyone's survival instincts, was to move quickly and quietly as possible but she could not keep up with his bruising pace. Night was fast approaching and their agonising slow hike was causing Carl to outwardly fret. Heavy pants filled the air as she struggled to get enough oxygen into her lungs and the weight of the water bottle in her arms seemed to grow with every step. She had refused to give up possession of the container in a stubborn notion of being useful, as well as making sure Carl was not burdened if he needed his gun. Olivia's legs were shaking from exhaustion as she drifted towards the nearest tree to rest for a moment. Readjusting the weight in her arms Olivia looked towards Carl but discovered he was no longer in her sight, probably unaware of her little pit stop as he continued forward. She cursed at her inability to keep up and for not being more observant as she pushed herself away fro the tree with the intent of catching up to her companion.

The gurgled moan from behind her washed all thought of finding Carl from her mind.

Whipping around Olivia was confronted with the sight of a mangled form of an infected woman descending upon her. The unrelenting figure roughly forced her back against the tree she had been resting on, with only the mass of the container keeping distance between them. Decaying fingers ripped at her hair and shoulders as the infected struggled to bring her closer to sink it's snapping jaws into her flesh. The putrid smell of death clogged her senses as she sucked in fast swallow breaths to heave the plastic container higher to block the snarling teeth from catching her. The bark from the tree was biting into her coat and the back of her head as the feral woman urgently pressed forward at the aspect of a warm meal just out of reach. Knowing the bottle could only contain the raging woman for so long she managed to wiggle her right hand towards her belt. With difficulty, Olivia unsheathed the knife looped at her side before mustering up the strength to implant it into the side of the decaying woman's head.

Thick, dark liquid dribbled from the hunter's knife logged into the skull of the woman. Olivia watched with baited breath as the woman's eyes rolled skyward and her mutated flesh fell backward onto the forrest floor, along with the plastic water bottle. Olivia's laboured breathing filled her ears as she braced herself against the tree that once was her captor. Turning her attention to her injured side she found new blood blooming against her dirtied shirt. It seemed her tussle with the hungry woman had aggravated the tender flesh. A noise ahead snapped her attention back to the dangerous situation she now found herself alone in. Olivia winced as she bent forward to remove the knife protruding from the expired woman's head with a harsh tug. A new wave of adrenaline flooded her veins as the bushes caved to the force moving through them.

A familiar hat and freckled face emerged from the greenery causing a sigh of relief to leave Olivia's parted lips. What she didn't expect was for Carl to raise his gun in greeting. A frowned marked her forehead as she watched him pull the trigger. A _thud_ sounded from behind them causing Olivia to peer over her shoulder to spy the body of another infected several feet away from her. Her eyes swept forward to catch Carl observing her disheveled appearance, the blood soaked knife and the rotting body at her feet. Carl carefully advanced towards her with his gun gripped firmly in his hands.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"I haven't been bitten if that's what you're wondering" she replied swiftly.

Olivia observed the tension leave his shoulders as his concern was addressed. He closed the distance between the two of them before crouching down to examine the water bottle. The side was dented from the impact and speckled with blood from the body that lay beside it. A scowl decorated Carl's face as he used the corner of his shirt to rub at the container in an attempt to remove the crimson splotches coating the side of the bottle.

"Mom is going to flip if she sees this" he muttered as he wiped the container clean. Satisfied with his removal of the evidence Carl looked up towards Olivia.

"Think you can still carry this? I'm pretty sure we're getting close now," he gestured to the container.

Olivia dragged the blooded knife along her jeans before replacing it at her side. "I can carry it for a little longer" she said. She spread her arms out to signal to him that she wanted him to pass the bottle to her. Carl lifted the container and placed it in Olivia's outstretched arms, making sure she had a solid grip before letting go. His hand came up to readjust his hat before turning towards the direction he had reappeared from.

"Make sure you stick with me this time. Can't have you disappearing on me again" he lectured.

A small smile graced Olivia's lips at the notion of being told off by a boy barely twelve. He was definitely overbearing compared to her father's relaxed parental style. Not waiting for a response from her, Carl moved forward at a slower pace making sure they did not become separated again.

….

The sun was disappearing beyond the hills casting eery twisted shadows on the ground when they broke through the trees to face an open field. The tall wheat coloured grass before them appeared to roll like waves in the ocean in the chilly breeze. Carl plunged into the field with an eager step as they grew close to their destination. Olivia lagged behind as she spied a two story house with several cars parked out front. She scolded herself for being naive with the thought it was just Carl and his mother alone out here. She didn't know how to feel about confronting a whole group of people who may not be so willing to trust her as Carl was. Her feet came to a sudden stop. She couldn't do this, she wouldn't let it happen again. She felt guilty having to brake her word to Carl but it was for the best. She would leave quickly and head back to the worn house where she could strategise her next move in peace. A hand on her arm evaporated her plans of flight as she turned to see Carl by her side.

"Why'd you stop? Is your side hurting? We're almost there" he pushed.

Olivia's mouth opened several times before the words she desperately desired slipped out. "Listen Carl, you've done a lot for me but I don't think this is such a great idea. I can't simply waltz over there…" Her teeth sank into her bottom lip to contain the fears she couldn't express to Carl.

Rolling his eyes Carl rested his hands on his hips. "Don't be ridiculous, your majesty. Stop fretting and follow me."

He marched several paces before turning back to impatiently gesture for her to keep up. Mentally nominating herself the biggest halfwit of all time Olivia stepped forward wondering if her stupidity this time would result in her demise. Olivia's reluctant pace brought them before the side of the house where a variety of clothes drifted in the breeze on a makeshift laundry line. A pair of legs covered in jeans moved systemically behind the hanging laundry as they worked through collecting the dried garments. Carl and Olivia stood several feet away as they observed the figure go about their task. A shirt in front of them was suddenly plucked from the line revealing a woman with long brown hair. She was oblivious to their presence as she concentrated on neatly folding the shirt to join the growing pile in the basket at her feet.

Her brown eyes caught them when she shifted to remove a pair of tattered grey socks. Surprise, relief and anger washed over her soft facial features at the sight of them. The socks in her hands dropped to the ground, completely forgotten. Olivia spied Carl nervously shifting his weight from foot to foot as he appeared uncertain about the greeting he was about to receive. Olivia was mentally kicking herself for not turning back sooner now.

The stillness surrounding them was lifted when the woman spoke in a strained voice. "Where have you been Carl? You should have been back hours ago. Your father told you to gather water, not for you to go running around in the woods."

The stern expression she had witness on Carl's face earlier that afternoon was now directed towards to the woman lecturing him.

"Does it really matter, Mom. I got the water for us to boil and I'm back in one piece. I'm more than capable of handling myself" he spat back.

Olivia's eyes flickered between Carl's and his mother's faces as the resemblance dawned on her. Her son's heated retort caused her to clench her fists tightly at her sides as she prepared herself for the argument that was coming. However, her anger was extinguished when she spotted Olivia's disheveled form not far from her sons. Before Olivia had time to act she found herself staring at the barrel of a gun for the third time that day.

"Don't do it Mom, she's with me!" Carl protested as he sprung to her defence.

"How could you led someone to us! You have responsibilities now and you've endangered us all. Get behind me now, Carl" she ordered.

"But she.." he pleaded with her.

"NOW CARL!"

His mother's angered outburst caused a flurry of movement from the house behind them. A man emerged from the charcoal coloured pickup parked out front and started jogging towards them with a rifle in his hands. Several figures appeared on the wooden porch to observe the disturbance at the clothes line. The man from the pickup reached them with his rifle aimed at Olivia.

"Everything ok here Lori? Who's she?" he questioned.

"That's what I'm trying to work out, T. I think she followed Carl here. We can't afford another situation like Randall" she cooly replied.

Carl's mother's new companion fingered the trigger as he directed his attention on Olivia.

"You, put her hands up where I can see 'em" he ordered.

Not wanting things to escalate further Olivia winced as she bent down to gently place the plastic container at her feet before standing straight with her hands raised in surrender. Carl's mother let out a gasp and Olivia knew she had seen the large dark stain that painted the left side of her silk blouse. Before she could open her mouth to explain her condition chaos suddenly erupted around her. Carl's mother had launched forward grabbing Carl's arm, dragging him away from her. The man who was referred to as T was shouting at her to get down on the ground and the people observing on the porch were rushing to join them on the lawn.

"You've been bit haven't you?! Answer me, damn it!" barked the man as he used the end of the rifle to prod at her temple.

Olivia could hear Carl screaming her name as he was roughly dragged towards the safety of the house. A group consisting of three women and an elderly man were armed with blunt objects and guns circled them. A wave of light headiness hit Olivia as exhaustion and fatigue gripped her mind as she struggled to comprehend the scene around her. The pipe of the gun was now harshly digging into her forehead as she was forced to her knees before the assembled group. With the demand of keeping her hands in the air a woman carefully approached and crouched down to grab the bottom of her blouse. The material was roughly tugged up to show all present the bloodied bandage that was wrapped around her waist before it was dropped, concealing her ailment from sight once again. Sharp intakes of breath from the newcomers filled the twilight air.

"Check her pockets, Maggie. She may be armed" the man with the rifle directed.

The girl named Maggie inched forward harshly pulling on Olivia's coat as she sifted through her clothes. Olivia watched as the knife was tugged from her belt and discarded on the grass in front of her, but still beyond her reach. She felt Maggie's body become rigid beside her as Olivia realised she must have discovered Jerry's loaded gun tucked away in her coat pocket. Maggie's eyes locked with her own as she revealed the hidden object to the others surrounding them. She backed away from Olivia with Jerry's gun in her possession as a chorus of voices argued about the discovery.

A short haired woman gripping a crow bar raised her voice over the heated conference taking place. "It's too dangerous. She needs to leave immediately" she reasoned.

The elderly man replied to her statement promptly. "We can't be so hasty about this decision. We should wait till the others return from their run before we deal with this matter."

"What happens if she turns? Or if she has dangerous friends looking for her? We may not have a lot of time" retorted the man still pressing the rifle to her head.

"It's not our choice to make. We should leave this for Rick to handle" the elderly man proclaimed with authority.

Olivia felt herself swaying as she struggled to listen to the debate concerning her fate but she was so tired. Her eyes were sluggish as she fought to keep them open. Her body was aching with exhaustion and her side throbbed painfully as the pain relief Carl had given her earlier that afternoon was subsiding.

"This is a mistake" the short haired lady stated before turning to pick up the forgotten basket of laundry that Carl's mother had left behind.

The old man turned to address her fears but Olivia never heard his response as she collapsed, letting fatigue finally claim her in a restless sleep.


	5. the interview

_the interview_

The ticking of a clock hummed gently in Olivia's ear. She found herself sitting in a plush patterned chair surrounded by walls held up by thick volumes of books. The familiar scent of peppermint tea weaved it's way into her senses, stirring memories. Lazily, her head rolled to the side to spot a man sitting at an antique desk, concealed from her sight by the morning paper propped in front of him. A surge of emotion chocked her preventing her from addressing her father sitting just inches from her. The paper rustled as it lowered to reveal the grey hair, rounded spectacles and trademark lopsided smile belonging to her father. He winked at her before removing the reading glasses that were forever perched on the end of his nose.

"It seems you aren't currently a danger to herself or others. The wound is not walker related and appears to have been properly cleaned and treated" he spoke, his voice foreign to her.

They were sitting in her father's home office, he looked like her father, he had the same mannerisms but his voice was not his own, rather a thick southern drawl. A frown pinched at her brow as she gazed on the doppelganger before her. Placing the glasses back on his nose the look-a-like sat back in his chair and reopened the paper. Giving her one last look as he returned to his reading, he spoke.

"It's time to wake up, Olive."

Olivia awake with a jump as her father's nickname rang in her head. Dazed and disoriented she observed she was no longer in her father's study in Surrey, rather a dim room lit by several candles. The room was sparse of furniture except for a wooden wardrobe, a bookcase and two chairs. The scent of peppermint tea, her father's favourite afternoon treat, brought her attention to the cold cup perched on the edge of a chair, along with rolls of dirty bandages. Olivia groaned as a headache twitched above her left brow. She moved her hand to rub the tender spot when she discovered her hands were restricted. She looked down to find her wrists bond together by a fluro orange rope. Her eyes followed the snaking orange trail attached to a metal heater mounted on the wall. The confrontation at the clothes lines filtered through her conscious as she pieced together the reason for her incarceration. They had bound her, taken her in and now she was waiting trial.

Olivia shifted herself from the wooden floor to rest against the mounted metal furnace keeping her captive. She closed her eyes in an attempt to relish the quiet in her solitude. However she was interrupted as hushed, muffled voices floated through the closed door. Her headache prickled as she strained her ears to catch the conversation occurring behind the sealed divider.

"There are no other signs of infection or bites when I examined her. Though, she is badly bruised and the wound at her side may need antibiotics" spoke the southern voice that had belonged to her father in her dream. "From what Carl has told us it appears she is friendly, but the others aren't convinced."

"They have a right to be concerned since we've already been through too much" replied a gruff voice she did not recognise.

The voice from her dream responded. "I have counselled with the others and you know their opinions already. She could be useful from what Carl pleaded, especially with Lori in such a fragile condition."

There was a pause before the gruff voice spoke again. "I know what you think Hershel, but I've spoken with the others and it's too dangerous. We deal with it once the sun is up." The sound of retreating footsteps echoed from behind the door.

"I agree to whatever course of action you wish to take. You have kept us alive this far, I trust your judgement" replied Hershel to the fading footsteps.

The creaking of floorboards and the jiggle of the door handle alerted Olivia someone was about to enter. The elderly man, Hershel she presumed, stepped into the room and appeared surprised to find her awake, waiting for him. He moved into the small room closing the door behind him, blocking the dark hallway that lay beyond.

"I see you've decided to join the land of the conscious again. How are you feeling?" he asked.

Olivia parted her lips to respond but her parched throat only emitted a dry cough. Hershel removed the cup perched on the chair and placed it in her tied hands, urging her to drink.

"I apologise about it being cold but I brewed it for myself, never got around to finishing it. Can't let it go to waste now" he said, stepping back to give her space.

Olivia swallowed the cold beverage greedily, not bothered by it's temperature due to her sudden thirst. It seemed like hours since she had something to drink and she couldn't recall the last meal she had either. Draining the contents of the cup she wet her lips to thank the man for his generous offer but he brought her gratitude to a holt.

"Carl, the boy you were travelling with, says he found you washed ashore down by the river. Want to tell me how you got there?" he questioned.

Her fingers tightly gripped the cup revealing her reluctance at engaging in such a topic amongst new acquaintances. Olivia shook her head not wanting to share the traumatic experience with a stranger she had just met.

"No? I can understand. We've all been through some truly terrible trials recently. It appears you've had a brutal time due to your injury. I hope you understand but I had to inspect the wound to make sure it wasn't what we accused it of outside."

"It's ok" she quietly muttered.

The elderly man sat down in the empty chair, leaning back to observe her. "I redressed the bandages at your side and I must say that your handiwork with a needle is very skilled. I'm guessing you've had experience in a profession that requires a steady hand?"

"Pathologist, but I've been know to dabble in other areas that have required a steady hand" Olivia cooly replied.

"Well Doc, you gave us all quite a scare when you appeared with Carl covered in blood. We had assumed the worst when you showed up like that" he spoke with a hint of melancholy.

Silence took root as he became lost in his thoughts or a past memory. Shadows danced across his figure as the candles flickered and burned. Olivia gazed at the empty stained bottom of the cup in hand, feeling like she was intruding on something private. The minutes ticked by before the man remerged with a shake of his head. He stood, gesturing for Olivia to pass him the empty cup.

"You should rest now. I'll be back at dawn with some antibiotics and food" he spoke, as he moved to towards the door.

"Wait" Olivia gasped, bringing Hershel to a stop. "Please tell them Carl isn't to blame. He has been nothing but kind to me" she requested.

The elderly man nodded at her to confirm he had heard her plea. "Sleep" he replied, closing the door gently behind him.

His final word triggered Olivia's heavy eyelids to close as she slipped into a dreamless sleep.

….

Soft light filtered across Olivia's face, arousing her from her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open to confront the familiar furniture and features around her. The candles that had illuminated the room hours before were smouldering in the pale light seeping from a draped blanket hanging over the only window. She rotated her shoulders to try and massage the crick in her neck from sleeping upright all evening. The distance sound of movement suggested the other occupants of the house had stated to stir. Olivia aligned herself to face the door as she waiting patiently for her hosts to greet her.

Olivia doused lightly as the hour drifted by without any visitors to her improvised cell. Dawn had passed and the morning sun was making it's appearance through the tattered blanket against the window. The sound of footsteps ascending stairs awoke her from her drifting state and she held her breath preparing for her interview. The door was harshly yanked open and a rough looking man whirled into the room. Olivia could only define the new face as intimating, he was not apart of the assembly that greeted her on the lawn yesterday. She would have remembered that stern, angered expression immediately. He dragged the chair in front of her away, exposing her as he planted himself before her, hands resting on his belt. _My goodness it's like having a showdown with Clint Eastwood_ she thought to herself.

Olivia's eyes were dragged away from his imposing form as Hershel entered the room, hanging back away from the pair, with what appeared to be a bowl and a refilled tea cup. Her attention was directed back to the man in front of her as his fingers drummed a rhythm on the gun resting at his hip. Olivia coiled her knees towards her body as she steeled herself for the events to come. His tapping fingers stopped suddenly as he addressed her.

"Carl, your guide yesterday afternoon, has informed us about your conduct and wiliness to help, but I have reservations about your agenda" he spoke with authority. "Are you with others and how far away is your camp?" he demanded.

"There are no others. I'm alone" she exhaled in a shaky breath.

The stern man's features pinched in aggravation at her response. "You're suggesting you've survived without company and provisions? You appear out of the forrest without gear, only a gun and knife? Don't lie."

"They're all dead" she hissed through clenched teeth. She inwardly scolded herself for becoming emotional, now was not the time.

Silence filled the room at her outburst and she directed her gaze to the floor, trying to avoid making eye contact with the man. Goose bumps tickled her skin when she felt his eyes scrutinising her, trying to determine if she spoke the truth or not.

"Is the hole at your side the result of surviving, when your group did not?" he questioned.

"It was inflicted by a seatbelt actually, but yes" she muttered to the floorboards. "Carl stumbled upon me and took pity. He helped me to a house where I was able to find items to treat myself."

Her eyes dared to look towards his face to gauge his expression. He stood unwavering before her, staring at the wall above her head.

"I'll be taking you back to that house in the next hour, so prepare yourself" he stated.

Olivia's heart sunk at the realisation he was planning to cast her out. She watched his eyes drift downwards to lock with her own.

"I warn you, don't bother coming back to this place as we'll be long gone. We have a large, experienced group who are capable of destroying anything or anyone who pose a threat, understood?" he threatened.

Before she had time to acknowledge his warning the man stormed from the room, leaving Hershel to serve her last meal.

Her panic must have been evident on her features as Hershel cautiously stepped forward to place a bowl of fruit, properly from one of tins Carl savaged from the kitchen yesterday, and cup of water before her. He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear as he tried to provide comfort as she struggled to breath, as fear gripped her throat.

"Hush, hush girl. It's no use working yourself into such a state. Try to eat something to give you strength. Here, take these pills they should help your wound and provide some pain relief" he said, depositing the tablets into her bound hands.

Olivia's shaking fingers popped the pills into her mouth and she reached for the water to wash them down. As she brought the cup away from her lips she saw Hershel had moved towards the door. He gave her a sad smile as his hand gripped the door knob.

"Chin up" he said before leaving Olivia to her own thoughts.

Olivia removed unmoving against the mounted heater after Hershel's departure. She inwardly fought the fear bubbling within her at the aspect of being left alone. She mentally chastised herself for being ridiculous since she had thought of returning to the abandoned house by herself a few hours ago. Shaking the thoughts from her head Olivia stretched forward to grab the bowl of fruit slices. With difficulty, she titled the bowl allowing the contents to slide into her waiting mouth. Chewing in silence she gave herself the pep talk of a lifetime.

….

When her hosts returned, Olivia was ready as she'd ever be for such a situation. Three men entered the room with grim expressions painting their faces at the task before them. Hershel moved forward to collect the empty dish and cup, while the man who had delivered the news on her banishment hung back with a young asian man. The young man tightly gripped a backpack in his hands as the leader of the group muttered orders to him. With a nod, the boy hoisted the back over one shoulder. He approached her cautiously and came to a crouch beside her. He started untidying the rope that bound her to the heater when their leader addressed her.

"Glen is going to untie you, so don't try anything regrettable" he warned, his hand poised on the holstered gun.

A sharp tug from behind released Olivia from her captivity and the young man moved away from her, coiling the rope to lessen the slack. Olivia flinched as she was roughly hoisted to her feet by the intimating man. As he moved towards the door he accepted the coiled rope from Glen's outstretched hand and with a tug he lead Olivia through the door. They stepped into a dim hallway passing several doors as they moved towards the stairs, quickly descending. Olivia could hear Glen and Hershel not far behind as they reached a large foyer with a grand oak door. The man gripping the rope flung open the door and stepped out onto a wooden porch, dragging her through the portal to the outside.

The bright Georgian morning sun blinded her as she attempted raise her hands to block the assaulting sunlight. She nearly tripped as she was roughly pulled down what she presumed were the porch stairs. Blinking rapidly, Olivia tried to access the scene around her as their march was brought to a sudden stop. As the sunspots danced across her eyes she observed the field of wheat coloured grass she had travelled through yesterday and the multi vehicle convoy parked a few feet from them. Hershel remained on the porch while Glen conversed with her guide, handing the pack over to him.

"I'd still feel better if you took one of us with you, Rick" he cautioned.

"Don't worry about me. Just make sure everyone is ready to move when I get back" he replied. Securing the pack over his shoulder he moved forward with a slight tug of the rope, making sure Olivia followed, they started towards the woods.

….

Their pace was gruesomely harsh compared to her slow trek with Carl yesterday. Rick was unrelenting as he surged forward through the bush causing Olivia to constantly trip and stumble over every rock and branch that happened upon her way. He was on a mission to be rid of her as quickly as possible and it showed as he dragged her along. They had been sheltered by the canopy of leaves for a while before he spoke to her.

"I have people relying on me to keep them safe back there. So you understand why this is my only option, right?" he questioned, without turning to face her.

Olivia trailed behind, her eyes trained on the ground to avoid the obstacles in her path. "It's perfectly understandable" she quietly replied.

He gave a stern nod at her reply as if she had verified his course of action as the right one. They weaved between the trees as their silence was filled with the sound of the woods around them. Olivia knew there was nothing else to say as they both came to accept the decision that had been made. She would return to the tired cottage to calculate how she would survive and he would return to his group, knowing they had avoided another danger. Even though the thought of being ditched scared her, Olivia knew his choice was logical. It just hurt to accept that she was on the losing end. The upsetting thoughts were interrupted when she collided with Rick's solid back. She stumbled backwards a few paces as her body ached from the impact. Curious to see what caused him to stop so suddenly, she peaked around his tensed shoulder to spot a familiar hatted figure blocking their path.

Carl stood before them with a look of determination etched across his boyish features.

"I can't let you do this, it's wrong. I made the decision to bring her back so she can help us" he shouted.

A heavy sigh passed Olivia's lips at his misguided attempt to 'recuse' her. Rick brought his hand up to massage the anger flaring at his brow as he exhaled loudly.

"Carl, now is not the time to be having this discussion. I told you last night I had made this decision and I expect you to obey my orders. You had no right to bring her back to our camp or to be out here on your own now" he stated.

"You have no right denying Mom the help she needs" he hotly retorted.

Olivia observed Rick's fist clench around the rope connecting them as the tension radiated through his shoulders. He was about to argue back when the distance sound of a gun shot sliced through the air, silencing the party gathered under the autumn leaves.


	6. the road

_the road_

Harsh breathes, heavy footsteps and the thumping of adrenaline vibrated against the suddenly silent trees. The forrest was a blur of colour and light as three sprinting figures moved under the canopy of the wood.

Olivia's arms burned as the rope tightly gripped in Rick's fist played tug-a-war with her bound wrists. Several cracks of gunfire echoed around them causing a curse to spill from Rick's mouth. As Rick quicken his pace, Olivia staggered over a branch protruding from the dense undergrowth. The sensation of falling gripped her as her body plunged forward, but her descend was stopped by a firm hand on the side of her khaki coat. She rightened herself quickly and continued after Rick who had not missed a beat during her almost tumble. Olivia's eyes flickered to the young boy running alongside her, wordlessly appreciating his help. He let go of her coat as her eyes trailed the appendage upwards to observe the worried frown decorating Carl's face.

"They're in trouble, aren't they?" Carl questioned, turning his attention away from her.

"I don't know Carl. We need to get back there now" Rick hotly replied, dodging a fallen log.

Olivia winced as the rope torn into her wrists, rubbing the skin raw. She wasn't sure how much longer her arms would remain attached to her body when the three of them crashed through a thick bush, braking from the shelter of the trees to look upon the familiar field of grass they had crossed earlier that morning. The pressure on her wrists dissolved as Rick came to a holt giving them time to absolve the scene in front of them. Olivia squinted against the sunlight to spy a flurry movement from the house as the occupants rushed between the building and their vehicles, tossing their belongings hastily into the open car doors. Olivia drew in a sharp intake of breath as her eyes laid upon the reason for their sudden hasty distress.

The field was littered with the stumbling bodies of the infected, leaking from the surrounding wood like a plaque towards the inhabited structure. Olivia's attention was snapped away from the chaotic scramble at the house as a gurgled snarl assaulted her ears. An infected male dressed in denim overalls was striding towards them with a expression of happiness at finding a warm meal within reach. Panic swelled in Olivia's throat as she realised she was defenceless with her hands bound and no knife strapped to her hip. Before her conscious could whirl into action the sound of a gun shot rung in her ear, startling her. Her hair whipped across her face as she turned to see a smoking barrel clenched in Rick's hand, directed at the fallen overalled man. His gaze locked with her surprised gaze before he turned to address Carl, a serious expression painting his face.

"We have to cut across before we become completely cut off. Stay close to me and only shot if they're on you, got it?" he ordered.

Carl gave a hesitate nod as he plucked his gun from his holster, removing the safety in a fluid motion. Rick coiled the rope several times around his left hand to allow his right hand to move freely. Whether she was ready or not, Olivia found herself pulled along as Rick cautiously moved forward. His right hand came up three times to dispatch the infected who had become aware of their presence. They broke into a light jog though the shifting grass, zigzagging a path through the staggered shifted bodies. Olivia did not turn as she heard Carl unleash a round next to her, instead focusing on avoiding the cold fleshly fingers waving in her direction. _This is madness_ she inwardly thought to herself.

The house was several metres away when Rick shouted at the two of them to run. Olivia pumped her exhausted legs into action as they closed the distance between the parked cars in front of the porch and themselves. She spotted Glen and the bald man, who had pointed his rifle at her temple yesterday, rushing towards them with a barrage of cover fire. Olivia did not stop as she felt dark liquid from a head shot splatter over her left side. _Keep breathing, keep moving_ she chanted to herself. The three of them made it to the bottom of porch stairs where they paused to gulp desperately needed air into their lungs.

Hunching forward to catch her breath, Olivia swirled her head around to access the danger now behind them. Glen, the bald man and the girl with short brown hair were managing to hold off the advancing mass, buying precious time. Her observations were disrupted as she was roughly pushed out of the way as two women flew down the stairs, hands filled with crates of belongings destined to be packed in the cars. It seems they had escaped the danger of the infected infested field to drive into the chaos at the bottom of the porch stairs. Suddenly, Hershel appeared at the top of the stairs armed with a shotgun and a look of absolute bewilderment on his wrinkled features.

"Thank goodness you're alive. We thought you had walked straight into the herd" he proclaimed.

Before Rick could respond a sobbed cry cut him off as Carl's mother rushed forward to grip the young boy in a tight embrace.

"God, I thought I had lost you" she choked into his shoulder.

Olivia spied the tension in Carl's shoulders as he didn't move to return the hug nor did he push her away. Their reunion was cut short as a gun shot trumpeted dangerously close to them.

"We need to go now!" shouted the young woman with brown hair, downing another infected who had gotten too close for comfort to the packed convoy.

With the young woman's announcement Olivia found her upper arm clenched once again in Rick's bruising grip, dragging her away from the assembled group. Desperation clutched at her throat, stealing her words as he directed her towards the horde of rotten flesh. _He wouldn't, he couldn't _she inwardly panicked. A yelp exploded from her throat and she dung the soles of her shoes into the dirt in retaliation to the realisation that he was simply going to throw her to the mass. Her protests did not deter Rick's strength or agenda as he dragged her along. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes as she helpless struggled against his brutality.

Bewilderment and confusion struck her when Rick turned sharply to the parked red chevrolet beside them and flung her roughly into the backseat. Olivia struggled to sit up, frantically swiping at the hair blocking her vision, attempting to comprehend what just happened. Her attention drifted to her lap when the bundle of fluro orange rope securing her wrists was tossed there. Olivia looked towards Rick in puzzlement only to see him helping Carl into the seat beside her before slamming the door. She twisted in her seat to peer through the headrest to spot the others piling into the stationary vehicles behind them. The opening of a car door brought Olivia's focus to the front as Carl's mother slipped into the passenger seat, swiftly shutting the door behind her. All three of them watched as the driver's door swung open, revealing Rick's paused figure. He was shouting directions to someone but he was suddenly drowned out by a loud rumbling roar. Olivia shifted forward to try and catch a glimpse of the noise when Rick hastily ducked into the cabin and ignited the engine with a twist of his wrist.

Olivia and Carl were thrown back in their seats as the car torn to life as Rick rapidly accelerated. Olivia threw out her bound hands to grip the seat in front of her as she tried to brace herself as the car bumped along a dirt road, swerving erratically to avoid the bodies attempting to block their escape. Peeking through her untidy fringe she witnessed the source of the loud rumbling as a man rode ahead on a massive black motorbike, thundering past the dead completely exposed to their reach. Olivia did not have time to register what she was seeing as she was roughly flung against the window when the car collided with a mutated body the bike had weaved past. The four of them rocked and rolled along the dirt road, leaving the two story house in the rearview mirror behind in a thick cloud of dust.

Too focused on trying to stay upright, Olivia did not attempt to look up again as she heard Carl's mother exhale her relief at the paved road just ahead. After a few jerky movements the car slid onto the paved asphalt, wheels spinning rapidly as the tires adjusted to gain a grip on the new surface. The smell of burning rubber clogged the cabin as they ploughed down the desolate road. Olivia let her head drift backwards against the headrest, coming down from her adrenaline high. The smoothness of the road lolled her eyes closed, exhaustion seeping into her tired muscles and lungs. She quietly listened to the conversation taking place in the front seats.

"I couldn't leave you behind, Rick. I lost you once and I'm never going to let it happen again. We were extremely lucky this time" Carl's mother proclaimed, reaching forward to squeeze Rick's hand coiled around the steering wheel.

"We were lucky the sound of those gunshots reached us in the woods. It was a risky move making so much noise, ultimately it saved our lives" Rick replied.

A soft laugh came from the front passenger seat. "Make sure to thank Glen for his quick thinking. It was his bright idea to get your attention" she responded. "But what I want to know is why on earth Carl was out there with you?"

Olivia peeked under her lashes to spy on Carl nervously twisting in the seat next to her. She inwardly chuckled at the thought that an apocalypse had not dampened his fear of getting into trouble. Rick emitted a heavy sigh from the driver's seat in response to her question.

"He followed us, Lori. For some reason I can't comprehend he thought it was a good idea" Rick explained, skipping Carl's reasoning which was sitting across from the young boy.

Lori spun in her seat to address Carl with a scolding expression. "This isn't over young man. We're going to have a long talk about your actions later, understood?" she chastised.

"Yes, ma'am" Carl muttered to the floor.

Satisfied with her son's remorseful attitude Lori's eyes drifted to catch Olivia's gaze. A frown pickled at Lori's temple before she shifted to face the road once again. It seemed her presence was still not wanted by at least two of the three people in the car. Olivia felt the hair raise on her arms as she sensed someone staring at her. She turned to her left to see Carl intently watching her. He must have witnessed the awkwardly tense exchange between herself and his mother. As Olivia blinked she spied the slight upturn of the corner of his lip. She couldn't help but return the smile as she released Carl was triumph in his quest to keep her a little longer. It only took a herd of flesh eating plague to help him.

….

They had travelled quite a distance before Rick flashed his lights, signalling he wanted their convoy to stop. The car slowed to a crawl before coming to a complete stop in the middle of the road. Taking his time, Rick stepped of the car stretching his legs. He was joined by Lori, and a few others faces Olivia recognised and some unknown ones too. Olivia watched as Carl gave her a nod and slipped outside the side door where he was shepherded away by his mother.

"Does anyone want to explain to me what just happened back there?" questioned Glen, his voice slightly muffled from Olivia's position still instead the car.

She observed through the glass as Rick tiredly rubbed his eyes. But her attention was grabbed as the bald man, who had pointed the rifle at her head yesterday, addressed Glen's question.

"I think it must have been the massive group we spotted a week ago in those crop fields" he stated.

"You could be onto something there, T, but it unnerves me to think they managed to catch up with us so quickly" said Hershel, entering the conversation.

"What happened with you, Rick? Why was Carl out in the woods with you?" spoke the young brunette woman, with a thick southern drawl.

Carl stood away from the group kicking stones by the side of the road under the watchful eye of his mother. Olivia knew he was eavesdropping as he hung on the outskirts of the assembled group. A young girl with light blonde hair, a figure Olivia recognised as one of the women who had pushed past her on the porch stairs, drew everyone's attention away from Carl previous whereabouts when she asked the question Olivia was most concerned about.

"And what are we going to do with her, now?" she quietly muttered.

The group remained silent, leaving her quiet words to hang in the autumn air. Olivia scanned their hesitate expressions through the glass as the silence dragged on. It seems nobody could say what they were all thinking, they didn't want to be the one to express the wickedness descending upon their minds to be rid of her.

Olivia's attention was diverted away from the quiet gathering outside as her gaze fell upon a figure striding towards them from ahead. He was unshaven with a worn leather jacket stretched across his broad shoulders. Intimating was the word Olivia's mind used to describe him, intimating and deadly. It seems the man had not only gained Olivia's notice but the entire group assembled around the red chevrolet. A thin cigarette hung carelessly between his teeth as he gave a nod in Rick's direction, coming to a stop next to the car door. He squinted as he peered through the window, making Olivia's skin crawl as his calculating eyes scrutinised her. She could not handle his penetrating stare, shifting her eyes to the floor in an attempt to escape him. A shiver racked her body as his gaze broke away from her for and he turned to address Rick.

"Want me to take care of it?" he offered, cigarette smoke lazily slipping through the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

Olivia's fingers dug into the leather of her seat in a desperate bid to subdue her inner panic at his words. Her imagination conjured up a familiar memory of awaking in the woods again only to find him above her, his hands wringing her neck. Involuntarily her body collided with the plastic paneling of the side door, trying to move as far away from him and her imagination as possible. Too absorbed in her own turmoil she missed Rick shaking his head at the new comers 'helpful' offer.

"That's not the solution I want. Everything happened so quickly. I just need more time to figure out what to do" he exhaled.

"We could just give her a pack and leave her here. Gives her a fair chance" the man referred to as T suggested.

Olivia happily accepted T's proposal, anything at this stage was better then being dragged away and executed in the woods. Sure it frightened her that there were so many infected around but maybe they weren't the real threat. Her eyes timidly flickered towards the cigarette carelessly burning; being alone on the road didn't seem like such a bad idea anymore.

"I was more comfortable with the thought of leaving her at the house rather then the open road" Rick sullenly replied.

As he spoke his eyes turned to Carl's figure by the roadside, kicking stones with all his strength in an attempt to dispel the anger radiating through him due to direction the conversation of the group. With his mother only a few feet away it looked like Carl was trying to squish his objections to the group's plans to avoid landing in further hot water.

Rick and Olivia weren't the only ones to observe Carl's foul mood, Glen too watched the young man take out his fury on the innocent gravel.

"Why don't we head towards the housing estate we ransacked yesterday? We can regroup, restock some of our lost provisions and maybe have a little time to work out what to do" he suggested, his gaze turning towards the backseat of the car hinting at their new cargo.

Glen's suggestion received a chorus of approval and a satisfied nod from Rick, they broke apart to start their preparations. Olivia watched as the group busied themselves with the new task before them, thankful expressions present on their faces at having another objective to work towards. A map was produced and placed on the hood of the car with several audience members charting their next course. The three woman worked on securing their possessions in the car stationed behind them before the young blonde haired girl appeared beside the backseat door Carl had exited. She timidly opened the door and stood before Olivia holding a bottle of water and piece of cloth.

"I… I thought you may want something to drink" she said, nudging the bottle towards her.

Olivia offered her a grateful smile and moved her bound hands to grasp the container between them. She observed the young girl nervously biting her lip as she remained in the doorway, causing Olivia to quirk a brow in question.

"I thought you may also want something to wipe the blood from your hair and face" she muttered, quickly thrusting the clean towel into Olivia's already full hands.

Before Olivia had time to thank her, the young girl whisked away to rejoin the women packing the green hyundai behind them. Shifting her gaze to observe herself in the rearview mirror it dawned on Olivia that her appearance may have been a contributing factor to the awkwardness from the girl. She truly looked gruesome with her dirtied face, sunken cheeks and blonde hair dyed with Jerry's blood. _No wonder they thought her a danger_, she mused.

Olivia deemed her handiwork successful as stared at her slightly tidier face in the mirror. It really was the best she could do with her hands still restricted. At least she had managed to remove most the of chucks of rotten flesh that had decorated her crown from a close headshot during their flight through the field.

Turning her attention away from her reflection Olivia gazed upon Carl and Lori's figures not too far from the car. It seemed Lori had decided now was a good time to lecture Carl about his adventure in the woods as she knelt before him, a look of disappointed painting her face. Her gaze moved to observe Hershel, Glen and Rick hunched over a map on the hood of the car and she spied T perched on one of the car's roofs as lookout. The unmoving figure standing on the opposite side of the road draw her attention last. Leather back turned towards her he stood facing the woods, puffs of smoke twisting around his form. She was thankful the woods had drawn his calculating eye rather then her person.

Movement in front of the car drew Olivia's attention away from the roadside as Rick rolled the map up. He directed everyone to return to their vehicles as they were about to leave before making his way to the driver's seat. The roaring of the motorbike signalled their departure as the convoy moved forward towards their next destination.

Olivia watched as the road slipped further away in the rearview mirror, silently wondering if things would have been better if she was left behind.


End file.
